Overview

Point 6,465 A is located in the Elko Hills about 3.5 southeast of Elko, Nevada. It is sometimes mistakenly referred to as “Elko Mountain” because of the landmark letter “E” that adorns its west slope and overlooks the city of Elko. The real Elko Mountain is the high point of the Elko Hills and lies about seven miles to the northeast. The “E” is formed of rocks painted white, placed there in 1916 by Elko High School students as a tribute to one of their teachers, Raymond Thomas. He, along with 10 others, were caught in a sudden snowstorm in present-day Thomas Canyon in the nearby Ruby Mountains on October 1, 1916. In his efforts to help the others in his party to safety, he perished.

An access road leads to the summit, where there are numerous antenna arrays and associated maintenance buildings. There are great views to be had from this relatively low summit, especially to the northeast and clockwise to the south, where you can see the entire expanse of the East Humboldt Range and Ruby Mountains unobstructed. This summit also provides what might be the best view of the city of Elko, topped only maybe by a vantage point in the Adobe Range.

West of the summit.

Summit view to NW.

Summit view to S.

Summit view to SW.

Summit view to SE.

Grindstone Mtn from summit.

Getting There

From I-80 at Elko, Nevada, take exit 303 (Elko east). Turn left, if exiting from I-80 W or turn right if exiting from I-80 east and proceed a short distance to Idaho Street. Turn right onto Idaho Street and proceed 1 mile southwest to 12th Street. Turn left and head southeast on 12th Street for 1 mile, then turn left onto NV-227 (Lamoille Highway). Follow NV-227 for 2.1 miles, passing through the Elko Hills, then turn left onto the dirt road that leads north towards the radio towers. The turn onto the dirt road is about 0.4 miles after passing over Elko Summit (sign says “LAMOILLE SUMMIT”). Travel 1.85 miles on the dirt road to the summit. I’m sure a passenger vehicle would not have problems on this road, however, I would still recommend against it. In the snow/ice conditions of winter, 4WD is highly recommended.

Red Tape

Although Point 6465 A is not on public land, there are no gates, fences, or signs posted to indicate that access would be an issue. Please respect the land as you would anywhere else.

Food & Lodging

The small city of Elko is your best bet for accommodations such as food and lodging, where there are a lot of choices. When it comes to gas, beware. Do not fuel up at the Chevron station on Idaho Street (by the Red Lion Hotel and Casino) near I-80 exit 303. You will find gas prices that are nearly a dollar more per gallon – yes, that’s right, nearly a dollar more - than most gas stations in town. About a quarter of a mile further southwest on Idaho Street on the opposite side is a Tesoro station. Don’t go there either, as their prices are only about 10 cents less than the Chevron. Instead, continue southwest on Idaho Street a short distance to the Sinclair station on the left or further to the corner of 11th Street to the Maverik station, which consistently have among the lowest, if not the lowest, prices in town.

Images